'Sopranos' Actor Pleads Guilty

Vincent Pastore, who played gangster Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on "The Sopranos" television series, was given a conditional discharge Monday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of attempted assault following an argument with a girlfriend.

As part of the plea deal, Pastore will perform 70 hours of community service, attend six months of weekly anger management therapy and pay a $190 fine. If convicted at trial, he could have been sentenced to as much as a year in jail.

Pastore, 59, was originally charged with two counts of assault, attempted assault and harassment for allegedly attacking Lisa Regina, 44, during an altercation in New York's Little Italy last April.

Prosecutors said he punched her in the back of the head, grabbed her hair, and forced her head down on a car's gear shift. During his appearance before Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Ellen Coin, Pastore was asked if he attempted to strike Regina. "Yes, I did," he replied.

Coin also warned Pastore that an order of protection against him contacting Regina has been filed. She said any violation could land the actor in prison for four years.

The actor said he intended to serve his community service at a veterans hospital, and he intended to help serve food this Thanksgiving and Christmas.

On the subject of anger management, Pastore's attorney Dominic Barbara said his client has been receiving therapy for 10 months.

Pastore's "Sopranos" character was killed early in the series as payback for snitching on the mob.